The Protector
by Kendra Luehr
Summary: (AU SxF) Faye Valentine, a talented singer, ends up getting shot & needs a new bodyguard due to the other one's inefficiency. When Spike Spiegel is hired for the job, will he be able to resist her and she, in turn, him? (Lemon)Please R&R!
1. The Bodyguard

  
  
**A/N:** Hey, guys! ^^ ::grins broadly:: I'm baaaaaaaack! lol This wuz fun 2 write mainly cuz I wuz bouncin' along 2 the Bebop soundtrack that I wuz supposed 2 get 10 months ago, but FINALLY did, so yay! =D lol N-e-whoz, this ITALICS means that it's a flashback, & this is an **A/U** SxF, so please don't get all confuzzled on me, rotfl. Please R&R, and of course...ENJOY! ^,~  
  
  
_"Ah! Here she comes, ladies and gentlemen! It's Miss Faye Valentine!"  
  
A roar of immediate appreciation arose forth from the copious audience clustered about the red carpet as Faye Valentine, herself, egressed her limo, a cheesy smile that she had trained herself to always wear instantly painting its way across her full, rosy lips as she lifted up a hand and gave a rather demure wave of gratitude.  
  
Almost at once the interviewers clambered over to her with the sole hope of receiving answers for their ridiculously personal questions as she tried her best to push past them, her well-loved and trusted bodyguard, Clarence, guiding her safely out of the suffocating circle and towards the entrance of the ornate building in which the awards ceremony was to be held as the buzz of the enthusiastic crowd continued to weigh down upon her senses.  
  
Just as she was about to finally enter the resplendent edifice, however, a middle-aged man called out to her frantically, "Please, Miss Valentine, I beg of you....**please** sign this birthday card for my little Adriene! She's terminally ill and won't last but six more months at the most, but I truly believe that an autograph from her heroine could possibly prolong her parting from this earth."  
  
"Of course," Faye acknowledged, giving Clarence's hand a gentle pat in order to assure him that everything was alright before she approached the perplexed father and held out her hand in order to receive the pen and birthday card.  
  
The moment that they reached her fingertips, however, a glint of silver flashed before her eyes and before she could possibly react, it was far too late for her to save herself.  
  
BANG!  
  
Her deep jade irises widening in utter astonishment, Faye allowed the pen and birthday card to fall from her grasp as a warm blanket of scarlet began to stain her sparkling gold negligee, her gaze resting upon the so-called "father" with the gun in hand before she staggered backwards and fell into the arms of dear, caring Clarence, her world of glitter and fame collapsing about her as it suddenly grew terribly dark and frigid as a lost song upon the wind.  
  
_"Miss Valentine, are you even listening to me?"  
  
"Hm? Oh, yes, of course I am, Mr. Black," Faye acknowledged, distantly running her beautifully-manicured fingers along the small scar upon her stomach from where the deadly bullet had long ago made its mark. "I suppose that I'm just a little preoccupied, is all. Please forgive me."  
  
Mr. Black sighed, leaning back in his broad office chair as he muttered a grumpy "it's alright" and drew his massive hand up towards his lips in order to take in a drag from his sweet cancer stick in utter contentment.  
  
Not wanting to sound rude, Faye reminded him rather absently, "And the point of our meeting today, sir...?"  
  
"Oh...yes, of course!," he exclaimed, suddenly full of life once more. "I've come to the regretful decision that we should replace Clarence with someone much more well-equipped for the job. It's quite obvious that he was useless since he wasn't even by your side when you were shot those terrible nine months ago, so I believe that we have no choice other than to bring in a new bodyguard."  
  
Faye gasped. "Replace _Clarence?_ After _all_ this time?! Oh, Mr. Black...._no!_ Please don't! I absolutely _adore_ that sweet man!"  
  
"Be that as it may, I fear that Clarence is now completely incapable of his job," Mr. Black insisted, furiously grinding his cigarette into his silver ash tray before sending her a stern look with his sky blue eyes. "As your agent, Miss Valentine, I do consider you my responsibility...like my daughter, even, so please..._please_ trust my judgement."  
  
"Well that all depends on whom this new bodyguard is to be," Faye replied, stubbornly folding her arms across her petite bosom as she crossed one leg over the other and sank back deep in her chair. "I trust that he's respectable?"  
  
Mr. Black smirked. "That's not exactly the word that I'd use to describe him, but that will have to do for the time being."  
  
"I-I don't understand," Faye admitted, quirking a delicated violet brow upward in mild confusion. "What do you mean by that?"  
  
"I mean whatever you think I mean," he returned cryptically. "You'll be able to figure everything out once you meet him tonight at dinner."  
  
_"Dinner?!,"_ Faye reitereated, clearly wishing that she had miraculously heard otherwise.  
  
Mr. Black nodded, returning gruffly, "That's right...._dinner._ I trust that you don't object?"  
  
Faye drooped. "Noooo, of _course_ not."  
  
"Well _great!_ Dinner's tonight at 7pm at the Blue Cod," he informed her as he stood up from his desk in order to grab his coat from off of the hook nearby. "File your report on him as soon as we get to talk again."  
  
"Will do," Faye returned, feigning cheeriness as she watched her agent exit the room in a state of utterly ignorant bliss.  
  
Once he was well on his way, she cradled her head in her hands, wondering miserably, _"Couldn't the guy **clearly** see that I was being sarcastic?! Sheesh! Some agent HE turned out to be! With any luck, this guy will be major eye candy so that I can at least **pretend** to be interested in what he has to say."  
_**************************************************************************************************************************  
His eyes were the first thing that she noticed. They were garnet, alluring, and yet so terribly sad. They made her just want to take the man in her arms and beg him to tell her what was troubling him. He was just so....._beautiful.  
_   
As she was contemplating this, he pulled out his chair and had a seat at the dinner table, acknowledging smoothly, "Faye Valentine, I presume?"  
  
Faye smirked in return. "Mmm...a smart one, I see. I bet you have to beat off the women with a stick."  
  
"I do what I can," the man replied, fully aware of her mockery as he leaned in towards her with a smug look upon his handsome, tanned face. "I'm Spike Spiegel....your new bodyguard."  
  
"I know," Faye acknowledged, smirking as she shook his hand in greeting. "I seriously doubt that just _any_ man would come on up and sit down at my table unless he actually had a perfectly good reason to."  
  
Now it was Spike's turn to smirk. "Well you know, if I didn't know you beforehand I'd come on up and sit here with you. After all, a girl such as yourself needs some company."  
  
"And do you _always_ flirt with your clients, Mr. Spiegel?"  
  
He winked. _"Always..._it raises my income."  
  
Faye couldn't help but laugh at this, admitting rather demurely, "Your manners are absolutely _atrocious,_ Mr. Spiegel, yet so are mine, so I have this strong feeling that we'll get along _just_ fine."  
  
Spike grinned. "So do I."  
**************************************************************************************************************************  
"I don't think that I really wanna go through with this after all, Vicious."  
  
The silvery-haired man smirked. "What's wrong, Spike? Don't tell me that you've already had a sudden change of heart."  
  
"Well no, not exactly," he defended softly, struggling to uphold his strong aura of austerity amidst his overseer's iron gaze. "I'd just like to know what you have to gain from all of this. I mean, the girl's perfectly harmless....I don't understand what the hell you want me to do with her."  
  
Vicious grunted, then moved away from the large window that he had been standing in front of, elucidating crisply, "I don't give a damn...I just want her within my grasp and mine for the taking. I don't care when or how you do it, but just see that you bring her to me in the end."  
  
Defeated, Spike bowed his head in resignation and nodded. _"Yes, sir...I will."_  
  
  
**A/N:** Oookaaaay, lol...if u're confuzzled, I understand, lol. SxF may seem that they're hitting it off, but they're just flirting 4 personal gain, not 4 an actual interest, which WILL change. ^,~ heehee U pretty much know why Spike's trying 2 get her all bonkerz over him, but what about Faye? lol Well n-e-whoz, please tell me if I should continue this, cuz, like w/ most of my other fics, I'm not sure if I should, rotfl. Please tell me wut u think! I LIVE off ur reviews! =P lol Luv ya bunches! ^,~  
3 Kendra Luehr  
  



	2. The Assault

  
  
**A/N:** Hey, guys! Wow, I haven't updated this one in a LONG time! Heh -.-' Well, that's what school and lack of inspiration does to ya, I guess. . So anyways, I hope that you guys actually enjoy this since it's been so long, and...uh...Lindsay is an original character based off of one of my reviewers, so congratulations to her! She won! LoL Every fic I try to base an original character off of a reviewer. So yeah, she was selected. Please R&R, and of course...ENJOY! ,  
  
**FLASHBACKS ARE IN ITALICS**  
  
The White Tiger was the best damned joint in all the galaxy; from the sleazy posters to the cheap wine with the not-so-cheap prices, it had it all.  
  
Faye had recently grown very attached to this place which, thanks entirely to her own personal broodings, were all far too cumbersome to deal with since she currently had the weight of fame and glory upon her shoulders._  
  
_Her best friend, Lindsay Haskins, owned the jaunty tavern all by herself and worked there overtime as the bartender; catcalls included. The fiery redhead was often mistaken as snobbish due to the constant 'this is my bar, and if you don't like it, you can go to hell' look that always adorned her charming face like a flashing warning sign from down below, itself. This, however, had in no way, whatsoever discouraged Faye from befriending this dubious woman and learning all about her troublesome life.  
  
So now, as she approached her friend in order to escape the fight that she and Spike were currently enduring, she did not, needless to say, expect Lindsay to utter the rather hurtful thing that she said next.  
  
"You look like _shit._ Care for a vermouth? That always helps _me_ when I'm down."  
  
Faye grimaced at this, then had a seat upon one of the rickety old bar stools, grumbling sourly, "Gee, _thanks,_ Lindsay. You always _did_ know exactly how to cheer me up. You might as well start making your wakeup juice now, cuz I plan on drinking a _whole_ lot."  
  
Lindsay raised an eyebrow, clearly concerned. "Do you mind if I ask _why?_ Just cuz I'm the bartender doesn't mean that I think alcohol's the answer to chasin' away the blues. Sometimes what ails ya is conversation....start talking, Faye, cuz I'm listening."_  
_   
"You have _got_ to be kidding me."  
  
"No, I can assure you that I am _not._ I've told you tons about my issues with my good-for-nothing boyfriend, so surely you can spill your guts to me," Lindsay insisted, giving Faye a knowing wink before turning to serve the burly customer on the other side of her a nice gin and tonic.  
  
Faye smiled warmly at this, acknowledging with slight reluctance, "Alright, _fine..._so we've swapped a few stories around the campfire. That doesn't mean that you'll be the slightest bit interested in what I have to say. In fact, I'd say that it's downright dull."  
  
Lindsay smirked. _"Try me."  
  
_Faye groaned, then put her face in her hands, muttering in resignation, _"Fine,_ Lindsay....have it your way. If you look over there, you'll see a man by the pool table who _clearly_ thinks that he's the shit. See him?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Well, that's Spike....my new bodyguard. I _seriously_ think that Jet made a _huge_ mistake about him," Faye mumbled, absolutely refusing to look over at her smug-faced comrade with the fear that he might falsely think that he was being invited to have a drink with her. "I-I mean, all he ever does is complain about every little thing that I ask him to do for me, and I mean _every_ little thing!"  
  
Lindsay smirked. "Ha! Well I'd say that it sounds like you two are absolutely _perfect_ for each other since you know very well that your initials should've been MBC: Moan Bitch and Complain."  
  
"Gee, _thanks."  
  
_"Oh, quit your bell aching! You've got it easy compared to most of the other sorry saps in here!," Lindsay chided, rolling her eyes at her companion's childishness as she began to scrub furiously at a grubby spot in a mug with her dish towel. "I mean, just look on the bright side....this Spike fella's a pretty damn handsome guy, and last time I checked, Clarence most certainly _wasn't."  
  
_Faye snorted. "Clarence was _fifty."  
  
"Exactly!_ Old _and_ unattractive! Spike's the stunning foil to your old bodyguard!," the exuberant redhead continued, much to her friend's complete and utter chagrin. "Don't you _see?_ You hit the jack pot...._big_ time!"  
  
"Ugh, shut _up_! You're not helping me out at _all!"  
_   
Lindsay frowned, then smiled; something she actually did quite often. Turning her soft, cobalt blue gaze away from the attractive bodyguard who was currently cheating at a game of cards, she questioned rather apathetically, "So why's he so bad, anyway? I see that he cheats when he plays deuces, but who _doesn't?_ I, myself, didn't stop cheating until I was fifteen....my older brother beat me up for winning his prized electric guitar under false pretenses. _Whoops."_  
  
Faye smirked at this, ridiculing sappily, "Oh, what a _heart-_warming tale! Please remind me to go and _throw up_."  
  
"You mock me," Lindsay accused, placing a hand on her hip and handing her friend a vermouth as a warm smile tugged at the corners of her rosy lips in a rather pleasant smile. "You know very well that I carry a shotgun in here, Faye, and I _do _use it."  
  
"Are you threatening me? I can get Spike on you, you know."  
  
_"Please do,"_ Lindsay returned, causing her friend to laugh.  
  
"You're _so_ gross! Just grow up for once, will ya?!," Faye urged, shaking her head with apparent amusement before she lifted the cool liquid up to her lips and took a rather tentative sip. "Spike prefers to kill, anyway, just as a little heads-up. It's just his nature, I suppose."  
  
Lindsay gave her a dismissive wave of the hand, insisting impassively, "That's _nothing, _Faye_._ My good 'ol friend Phil Clark likes to take women and-"  
  
"Hello, ladies."  
  
Faye gasped, clutching her vermouth like an iron vice within her taut grasp as the tall, lanky bodyguard took a seat beside her and shot her and Lindsay a genuinely warm smile.  
  
"What'll it be?," Lindsay suddenly questioned, seeing that that was her job; leaning forward with an interest that rarely overcame her being.  
  
Spike smirked, immediately taking note of this as he propped his chin on his fist and returned good-naturedly, "A whiskey, thanks. It's been a while since I've had a nice, stiff drink."  
  
"As you wish," she acknowledged, hurriedly rushing over towards the color-coated bottles of alcohol so that she could pour his drink, Spike watching on with a fascination that deeply infuriated his client.  
  
"Don't you _dare_ look at her like that!," Faye hissed between clenched teeth, her frail body racking slightly due to her apparent outrage. "She gets enough catcalls a day, so don't you start adding to them, you good-for-nothing slob!"  
  
Spike gave her a look full of genuine surprise, insisting defensively, "I'm not doing _anything!_ Since when are you in charge of where my goddamned eyes drift, anyway?!"  
  
"Since you became my bodyguard...._that's_ when!"  
  
Spike drooped at this, acknowledging sourly, "Damn, you're right.....oh, well, guess there's a first time for everything."   
  
"Oooh, you _infuriating_ little-"  
  
_"Ssh,"_ Spike suddenly instructed, placing a slender finger over his lips as his stunned client continued to watch him in utter astonishment. "I think we're being watched."  
  
Faye blanched. _"What?!_ Where are these so-called spies?! What are you going to-"  
  
_"GET DOWN!!!"  
  
_Letting out a shrill scream full of sheer trepidity, Faye felt Spike wrap his strong arms about her middle and wrench her down to the hardwood floor by the side of the bar, a brigade of bullets showering overhead and destroying the alcoholic bottles that laid in their wake in a single spray of liquid and glass.  
  
_"Lindsay!!!,"_ Faye shrieked, immediately trying to stand up and check on her friend, only to be instantly pulled back down. "What the _hell_ are you doing! _Let me **go**!"  
  
_"Well what the hell are _you_ doing?! Trying to get yourself _killed?!,"_ Spike demanded, immediately seizing her by the wrist and yanking her over to the safety of his right side. "You stay here....I'll take care of this. Under _no_ circumstances are you allowed to leave this spot...._do you understand?"  
  
_"Even if someone's able to shoot me from here?"  
  
Spike face-faulted. "Use your common sense, Faye! Of _course_ you can move when faced with a situation such as one of that nature!"  
  
"But you said-"  
  
"Nevermind what I said....just make sure that you stay away from danger!," Spike ordered, not even giving her a second glance before he retrieved his firearm from within his hipholster and dove out into the open like a crazed lunatic, his shot nailing each and every single target with a perfection that couldn't help but leave each of his adversaries a bit wary.  
  
_BANG! BANG! BANG!  
  
_Faye screamed, shielding her head as yet more glass showered down upon her small frame from up above, her instincts immediately taking over as she rushed to the safety behind the bar, thus completely disregarding what Spike had instructed her to do, altogether.  
  
"Faye!," a feminine voice exclaimed, thus causing her to look up in an instant of sheer astonishment.  
  
"Lindsay! W-what are you doing?!"  
  
"What's it look like?," she demanded, hurriedly placing a shell within her shotgun and cocking it with a viciousness that insured future bloodshed. "I'm protecting my bar from those black-suited ass wipes out there!"  
  
Without another word said, Faye winced as Lindsay leapt up from behind the assurance of the bar and fired a single shot, only to immediately drop back down due to the ammunition that was rapidly being fired at them in retalliation.  
  
Taking a brief look at her comrade, Lindsay urged rather rudely, "Either take my extra gun from out of the cash register or get out, Faye. There's only room for fighters back here...._not_ cowards."  
  
"I am _not_ a coward!," Faye spat, considerably hurt by this sudden accusation.  
  
Jutting her chin outward due to her injured pride, she immediately raced over to the cash register in a hunched over fashion and hurriedly opened it up, her hands shaking as they fumbled for the weapon and brought it abreast within her insecure grasp with the sole hopes of proving her friend wrong.  
  
Turning back towards the unfolding battlesite before her, Faye leveled out the firearm and tried her damndest to aim properly, perspiration beading upon her flesh like the morning's dew as one of the black-suited men suddenly leapt out in front of her with a cynical grin upon his face similar to that of Spike's.  
  
_"Hiya, cutie."  
  
_Faye gasped, taking a slight step backward as she found that her mind was now blank and completely incapable of cooperating with her trembling hands, her eyes squeezing shut as she fearfully awaited her fate.  
  
_BANG!  
  
_Blood oozing forth from his chapped lips like a waterfall of thick scarlet, the man limply fell forward and to the ground like a deadweight, Spike standing not but six feet behind with his smoking Jericho in hand.  
  
"Spike!," Faye exclaimed, never feeling so grateful to him in her entire life. "Thank you _so_ much for-"  
  
"I thought I told you to keep your ass put!," he interrupted gruffly, far too aggravated to acknowledge her abundant gratitude. "How do I even know that you'll do what I ask, again?!"  
  
"Well, I-"  
  
"Oh, nevermind....just make sure that you stay close to Lindsay," Spike instructed, immediately disregarding her presence just like before as he dashed off to the side and commenced in firing at the last of the lackeys.  
  
Just as soon as they fell, however, the bar door swung open and in stepped a silvery-haired man, his pale blue eyes like ice caps and his stature very much like that of a lost soul, his gaze cold and empty as it suddenly slid over to the mossy-green-haired man by the barstools, whose mouth was clearly agape and trembling.  
  
_"Vicious,"_ he gasped, taking a slight step back. "How did you..."  
  
With one final gaze from that demon of a man, Spike immediately closed his mouth, swallowing as Vicious turned about abruptly on his heel and exited the bar just as quickly and quietly as he had come.  
  
Faye watched all of this in silent awe, a delicate brow quirking slightly upward as she wondered in sheer amazement, _"How can somebody as strong as Spike instantly turn to mush upon seeing some stranger? And yet....no, he's **not** a stranger. Spike called him by name......he called him **Vicious**."  
88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888_

_"Hi, uh...I'm here for my interview with Mr. Gaines."  
  
The secretary behind the front desk hardly even gave him a passing glance, her hair drizzling down over her shoulders like a waterfall of honey as her mysterious blue eyes processed all of the information upon the computer screen before her.  
  
Frustrated, Spike glanced over at her gold-plated nametag and grinned, trying again, "Hi, Julia....I'm Spike Spiegel. Lovely day for applying for a job, don't you think?"  
  
"What do you want?," she demanded tiredly, getting straight to the point. "If it's a date, just go ahead and shove your high hopes up your ass. I'm **not** interested."  
  
Spike laughed loudly. "Well thanks for the offer, Miss Charming, but I'm afraid that I'm going to have to pass. You see, as I've stated before, I'm here for my interview with Mr. Gaines."  
  
"Oh....**oh**! I am **so** sorry!," Julia recovered sheepishly, placing a beautifully manicured hand over her mouth as a light blush began to gently stain her alabaster cheeks. "I-it's my first week on the job, and I guess that it's just one of those days, you know? Ever zoned out before?"  
  
Spike smirked. "All the time."  
  
"Then you can understand my problem?," she questioned hopefully, clearly still embarrassed.  
  
Spike's smirk only deepened, his thin frame propping up against the edge of the desk as he acknowledged slyly, "Of course I can, but now that I **do**, I feel that I must see you again, and **soon**."  
  
"Do you, now?," Julia teased, her naturally demure features reflecting a newfound coyness that set her persuer's heart a fire. "I must warn you....I'm not **far** as innocent as I look."  
  
Spike grinned broadly. "**Good**."  
_   
"Hey, Spike....wake up. _Spike?"  
  
_He grunted, sourly rolling over onto his side upon the couch as he listened to the thunder rolling overhead, his client continuing to poke and prod him with the hopes of getting him to rise.  
  
"Spike, come _on..._I really need to talk to you," she urged, giving his shoulder a rough shake. "It's about the man at the bar....that Vicious guy."  
  
Spike immediately shot up amidst his blankets upon hearing that dreaded name, demanding fearfully, "H-how do you know about him? Have you met him before?"  
  
Faye shook her head. "No, of course not.....today was the first time that I've ever seen him. And yet....."  
  
"And yet _what?,"_ Spike pressed, clearly fearing the worst.  
  
"I-I don't know," Faye admitted, her brow furrowing as she suddenly grew very deep in thought. "There's just something about him....like I actually _do_ know him, and yet....I don't. I know that I'm not making much sense, and for that I'm sorry. I'm just really scared of that creep and would like to know how you know him."  
  
Spike immediately shook his head. _"No._ I'm sorry, Faye, but that's something that I absolutely can_not_ tell you."  
  
"But _why?_ I'm your employer!"  
  
"I know, but you'd be much better off being left in the dark on this one," he insisted, giving her an earnest look with his deep, two-toned irises that rather frightened her. "Trust me, Faye....it's for your own safety. _Please_ forget about him."  
  
"But what about-"  
  
_"Please."  
  
_She sighed, then nodded, agreeing softly in resignation, "Very well....if that's what you'd like me to do."  
  
"I would," Spike acknowledged, nodding vigorously. "It's for your own good...._trust me."  
  
_Faye didn't answer, a small, secretive smile forming along her full, rosy lips as she realized that, one way or another, she would make sure that she'd find out what was going on, even if it killed her in the process.  
  
**A/N:** LoL, do NOT worry...Julia is dead and buried! Down in the ground! GONE! Heheh...he's just having flashbacks which are, believe it or not, pretty darn vital to the storyline since it explains how he and Vicious are tied together. And trust me, Vicious' reasons for wanting Faye are **NOT** what you think! Most writers portray him all lusting after her, and stuff, but no way, not me! LoL I'll leave that for Spikey-poo in later chapters. . heehee As of now, they're in their typical "love-hate" relationship that we all know so well and can't help but love, ourselves. Please do me a niiiiiice favor and review me! PLEASE??? I'm beggin' ya! You'll get a cookie! heehee Isn't bribery GREAT????  
3 Kendra Luehr


	3. The Reason

  
**A/N: **Hey, hey, hey! I'm baaaaaaaaaack! LoL, for some reason it took quite a while for inspiration to come for this chapter, but hopefully it was worth it! - LoL You'll finally find out WHY Vicious wants Faye dead! heh -.-' Lovely, no? . LoL Welp...please R&R, and of course....ENJOY!   
  
** ITALICS ARE FLASHBACKS**  
  
_"But papa, why can't I watch you do business?"  
  
Mr. Travinsky smiled down at his son, affectionately ruffling the child's soft, unruly hair before returning warmly, "Because, Vicious....I need to talk in private with the other grown-ups. Whenever you get older I'll let you join me during my business transactions, alright?"  
  
"Ok!," Vicious agreed cheerfully, beaming brightly before latching himself onto his father's pantleg in a tight hug that practically cut off all circulation. "What will you be talking about, today?"  
  
Mr. Travinsky winked. "Sorry, kiddo, but I can't tell ya, remember?"  
  
"But paaapaaa-"  
  
"Mr. Travinsky, I presume?"  
  
Vicious gasped upon seeing the tall, wiry man and his associates in the doorway of the hall before them, his childish instincts immediately telling him to go hide as he ran and took cover behind his father's legs, only pausing to peer out temporarily when he realized that no harm was being done.  
  
"Well what a **charming** little boy!," the man praised, smirking as he bent over and blew cigarette smoke into Vicious' face before giving him a gentle pat on the head. "Has he started school, yet?"  
  
"Uh, no...just about," Mr. Travinsky acknowledged, gazing down fondly at his son. "Our maid has taught him **very** well for a five-year-old."  
  
"Indeed," the man agreed, smirking. "My little Faye is about that age....perhaps they'll end up going to school, together."  
  
"Perhaps, Mr. Valentine, but don't you think that we should be getting this over with, now?"  
  
Upon hearing this proposition he smirked, letting out a low chuckle before apologizing vivaciously, "Oh, yes, where **are** my manners? Come along, Mr. Travinsky....shall we go into the drawing room?"  
  
Mr. Travinsky, thoroughly insulted that he was being ordered around in his own home, conceded grudgingly, "Yes, yes, of course.....come right this way."  
  
Vicious watched after his father and all of the other men trudge into the drawing room with his startling blue eyes, his curiosity getting the best of him as he crawled over on all fours in hot pursuit of them before peering through the slight crack in the double doors with a tremendous interest.  
  
"What do you **mean**, you don't have the money?! I gave you a whole fucking **year**!!!"  
  
Vicious gasped, his eyes widening in utter astonishment as he shakily watched the rather violent scene continue to unfold before him.  
  
"Yes, yes, I **know**, Mr. Valentine, but other things have come up, and I needed to take care of them, first."  
  
"Ha! **Bullshit**! You knew **very** well that I needed this money, and if I didn't get it there would be consequences! Perhaps upon Vicious...."  
  
"No, no, **please**! I swear that I'll get you the money, I-"  
  
"**No**, Mr. Travinsky....you **won't**. You've had your chance."  
  
"No, **please**! Have mercy, Mr. Valentine! I-"  
  
BANG! BANG! BANG!  
  
"Noooo!," Vicious wailed, casting all fear aside as he burst into the room and threw himself upon his father's limp and bloody form, tears cascading freely down along his cheeks like burning candle wax as he realized, to his utmost horror, that his father wasn't moving. Deciding to take matters into his own little hands, he shook his father by the shoulder, urging frantically, "Papa, **please** try to wake up.....**please**!"  
  
Mr. Valentine smirked deeply upon seeing this open display of affection, his voice cold and filled to the brim with mockery as he announced, "Aww, well isn't this **sweet**? Mr. Travinsky actually had someone who loved him......stranger things happen, I suppose. Kroft...Carsen...take the boy into the next room. We've got a murder to blame on the maid."  
  
Vicious didn't even to bother to resist the henchmen's firm hold as they took him in their arms, his spirit completely diminished and broken as he realized that, no matter what, he **would** get his revenge.  
  
_"Papa...._no."  
  
_Vicious scowled as he ran his long, slender fingers throughout his stringy silver hair, his heart withered and dry as he suddenly conceived that he had allowed himself to think of his dreadful past again.  
  
_"How can I possibly go on whenever the daughter of that slime still lives?,"_ he wondered irately, his fist instinctively grasping the hilt of his katana as he felt his lust for bloodshed continue to rapidly rise deep within him. _"After all this time, why haven't I been able to catch her? Have I possibly grown weak? **No**.....never. It's Spike.....he keeps getting in the way, even after our damned deal."  
  
_Pressing a button upon his desk within his office, Vicious ordered callously, "Lisa, tell Spike Spiegel to kindly get his skinny, anorexic ass up to my office."  
  
_"Oh....he's still with Miss Valentine, sir,"_ the voice crackled in response, thus causing him to stiffen.  
  
"I don't _care!_ Page him, if you have to....just make sure that he gets here and that he gets here, _now!!!"  
  
"Y-yes, sir."  
  
"Good,"_ Vicious conceded gruffly, releasing his hold upon the button before turning towards his broad office window in utter disgust.  
  
Immediately sliding the blinds closed so that he was wrapped up within the comfort of the darkness' cool embrace, he promised aloud, "After I'm through with you, Spike Spiegel, you and Faye will both end up like your precious Julia........._dead and buried."  
  
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888_  
  
"Aw, c'mon, do I have to carry _all_ the bags?!"  
  
"Yes....you're not the shopper, so therefore you have no need to look at the merchandise," Faye elucidated sweetly before sending her bodyguard a smug look as she and Lindsay continued to parade throughout the mall in front of his hobbling form. Looking complacently back at him over her shoulder, Faye continued, "Besides...._honey_....why are you so eager to get out of here? Aren't you having _fun?"  
  
_Completely ignoring her mocking tone, altogether, Spike announced sourly, "Of _course_ not! I'm missing my favorite TV show, and it's supposed to be the last episode! I've never seen it before!"  
  
  
Faye drooped. "Ooh, that just sounds _so_ exciting. What is it, some gay-ass western?"  
  
"What? _No!_ It's a series about bounty hunters, if youtruly _must_ know!," Spike snapped, his left eye beginning to twitch as he continued to stagger amidst the load of all the shopping bags. "The main character's almost exactly like me, which is pretty cool, and-"  
  
"Oh, no, there are _two_ of you? I didn't think that it was possible for _more_ than one asshole to populate this world," Faye remarked dryly, thus causing him to bristle on impulse. "Does he happen to wear the same clothes everyday, too?"  
  
Spike grunted, hollering irately, "Shut up, you stupid wench! I think your thong's way too far up your ass for you to be thinking clearly, today, so I might just have to take over on all of your decision-making! For starters, I say that we're going back home...._now!"  
  
_"And since when is it _your _home?," Faye demanded, seething like a madwoman due to his earlier comment about her thong. "I _swear,_ Spike, if you keep this up, I'm going to-"  
  
"SHUT THE FUCK UP, ALREADY!!!"  
  
Shocked, Spike and Faye ceased their incessant yammering in an instant, only to lay their eyes upon a very pissed Lindsay, her left eye twitching as she continued to clench and unclench her fists by her sides in utter frustration.  
  
Upon seeing them both stop their neverending quarreling, she smiled, then nodded, acceding sweetly, "Thank you...._shall we continue, now?"  
  
_Spike opened his mouth to reply, only to be instantly silenced due to the vibrating of his pager in his back pocket, a grunt of complete and utter disgust escaping the back of his throat as he struggled all of the shopping bags into one arm, then retrieved the device with the other in order to read the message.  
  
Upon seeing the single word _'Vicious',_ he quickly looked back up at the two women, apologizing as briskly as possible, "Uuuh, terribly sorry, ladies, but I've gotta go......have fun, without me!"  
  
Faye blanched. "Oh....wait, I-"  
  
_"Sorry!,"_ Spike apologized again, immediately stuffing the shopping bags into her arms before taking off towards the exit like a madman at top speed.  
  
Sending her comrade a look full of complete and utter astonishment, Lindsay questioned curiously, "So where do you think _he's_ off to?"  
  
"I don't know," Faye admitted softly, even though she had a pretty good idea, _"I truly don't know."  
  
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888_  
  
_"Are Mr. Valentine and Mr. Gaines in their offices?"  
  
The henchman nodded. "Yes, Vicious-sama.....I've sent in two men as 'clients' asking for a bodyguard."  
  
"Excellent," the silvery-haired man purred, caressing the hilt of his katana as he envisioned his mortal enemy's blood running down along his fingers like crimson molasses. "When they are captured, I want them brought to me immediately."  
  
The henchman couldn't help but smirk at this, acknowledging excitedly, "Y-yes, sir....as soon as possible."  
  
Vicious chuckled. "**Good**."  
  
888888888888888888  
  
"Spike Spiegel, if you don't tell me what the meaning of this visit is **right now** I will be forced to punish you!"  
  
He smirked, encircling his arms possessively about his lover's slender waist as he buried his face deep within the crook of her neck, returning warmly, "I can't tell you, **now**, Julia.....it's a surprise."  
  
"But I've got a job to do....you'll have to come back later," she insisted, stifling a giggle as he tickled her side with his long, slender fingers and nipped playfully at her earlobe. "Spike, I mean it.......**Spike**!"  
  
"Alright, **fine**, Your Highness," he finally relented, smirking as he released his hold about her middle and raised his hands up in surrender. "I'll tell ya what....I've got your surprise in the car, so I'll just go ahead and get it, **alright**?"  
  
Julia smiled warmly. "Alright. I mean, as long as I **finally** have some peace and quiet so that I can get my work done, how can I possibly lose?"  
  
Spike grinned, then shook his head in utter amusement, chuckling to himself as his lover watched him egress the lobby and out into the parking lot with a genuinely warm interest.  
  
"Hey...you Mr. Gaines and Mr. Valentine's secretary?"  
  
Julia gasped upon suddenly seeing the tall, dark man beside her, her throat clamping up as she choked apologetically, "Oh! W-well I am **so** sorry, sir....I didn't see you come in!"  
  
The man smirked. "I came in through the back door."  
  
"What? There's no back door.....who-"  
  
Click.  
  
"**Don't move**."  
  
88888888888888888  
  
At this very moment Spike felt absolutely on top of the world; completely indestructible.  
  
As far as he was concerned, nothing could or would bring him down on a day as marvelous as this one.  
  
He was going to ask the woman of his dreams to marry him, she would say yes, and then she'd quit her job and they'd move together to the suburbs to start a family.  
  
Yes, it was absolutely perfect. He had it all planned out.  
  
Anxiously fingering the engagement ring within the pocket of his cheap blue suit jacket, Spike hurriedly stepped in through the front entrance and into the lobby, only to instantly realize that something was highly amiss.  
  
"Julia?," he questioned aloud, fear beginning to crawl up his spine once he realized that she was no longer behind the front desk. "**Julia**? Come on, where **are** you?! If you're hiding behind there, it's **not** funny, dammit!"  
  
No answer.  
  
Spike grunted, then hurriedly clip-clopped along the marble-tiled-floors as fast as his long legs would carry him, his being nearly jumping straight out of his skin the moment that the dreaded sound of ammunition rang throughout the air like a song of death and destruction.  
  
"Mr. Gaines....Mr. Valentine," Spike breathed in recognition, immediately realizing that their office was the source of all the commotion. "Holy shit! In order to know where they are, those bastards would have had to have asked.....oh, my God......**Julia**!!!"  
  
Immediately rushing over towards the limp figure upon the floor that he had just spotted, Spike felt his heart constricting tightly within an invisible force that threatened to cease its very beating, his breath instantly hitching in his throat the moment that he realized that the woman **was** Julia.  
  
"JULIA!!!," he exclaimed, immediately dropping down to his knees and lifting her languorous being within his caring embrace before giving her a subtle shake with the hopes of waking her from her false state of repose. "**Julia**..."  
  
She groaned, her deep blue irises glimmering with unshed tears as she grasped at his hand and began to cough, choking hoarsely, "Spike....they shot....Mr. Gaines and Mr. Valentine. I-I tried to stop them.....I-"  
  
"**Don't **talk," he commanded forcefully, thus causing her to pipe down in an instant. "We need to get you to a hospital....where's the nearest phone?!"  
  
Julia immediately shook her head. "No, Spike....the bullet's severed my spine. I-I can't even move my lower body anymore, sweetheart. If I live, I'll be a fucking vegetable......**forever**."  
  
"No...you're **wrong**!," he argued, giving her a pleading look with his haunting two-toned irses as he gave her another subtle shake. "If you die, **I'll** die! We were meant to be together!"  
  
"I'm sorry......"  
  
"Julia, **stop** it! **Julia**!!!"  
  
She didn't answer him, her head dropping back languidly against his arm as her breath hitched in her throat and ceased completely, her complexion now deathly pale as he realized that, to his utmost chagrin, his true love was gone.  
  
_"JULIA!!!"  
  
"Well that's a pretty weird thing to say," a cold, clipped voice remarked dryly from abaft, thus causing Spike to immediately lurch forward within his chair and come to realize that he had merely been dreaming.  
  
_"Vicious,"_ he choked, causing his silvery-haired companion to smirk, "I-I've been waiting for you in here for an _hour._ Where have you been?"  
  
"Since when is my business any of _yours,_ Spiegel?"  
  
Spike frowned. "How 'bout ever since we made our deal? Surely _that_ entitles me to a fair bit of information."  
  
Vicious scowled at the mossy-green-haired man before him like a ravenous beast, acknowledging rather gruffly, "Well now that you mention it, Spike, that's actually why I called you here, tonight."  
  
"Is that right?"  
  
He nodded. "Yes....it seems that you aren't living up to your end of the bargain, and I think you know what I mean by that."  
  
"Faye?," Spike questioned, causing his boss to nod.  
  
"Yeah....she should be dead by now."  
  
"That's _impossible,"_ Spike immediately contradicted, shaking his head before raking his fingers throughout his tangly mop of hair. "I haven't even established enough trust between us, yet."  
  
Vicious snorted. "Is trust really so important?"  
  
"Well-"  
  
"Of _course_ it isn't!," he growled, thus causing Spike to give him a look full of absolute bewilderment. "What you need to _'establish'_, here, is a plan to wipe that wench's foul being from the face of the earth! Destroy her!_ Chop her to bits!"  
  
_"Vicious, I think you're a bit-"  
  
_"Crazy?,"_ he supplied, suppressing a chuckle. "You don't know the _half_ of it, Spiegel! How would _you_ like to live every waking moment of your life grieving for your father who was murdered 22 years ago?! It's a never-ending _Hell!_ Every minute that that vixen lives is an insult to my father's dignity, dammit, and I _won't_ rest until you finish what you set out to do!"  
  
Spike meekly bowed his head. "Th-then you have my word."  
  
"It will be done?"  
  
He nodded. "It will be done."  
  
Vicious smirked at this, his cold blue eyes glinting over with a tremendous lust for vengeance as he picked up a picture of Faye that he had stolen for reference and stabbed it with a nearby letter opener, his cold laughter chilling the air about him as he breathed aloud harshly, _"Enjoy your evening, Miss Valentine, fore it shall be your **last**."  
  
****_A/N: Welp, that's it, LoL. Was it any good??? ::cringes:: lol I'm not so sure. See that button thingy down there??? Click it and you'll be donating to a very need cause! ME!!!!!!! =-P rotfl And yes, everyone got a cookie last time, so now you'll get a TIGER if you review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol Thank yas! Love ya bunches! -  
3 Kendra Luehr   
  



	4. A Startling Revelation

  
  
**A/N:** Hey, hey! Long time no write! =D lol Lame, I know, heh. -.-' Welp, anywhos, "The Affair" has been removed, so that's why I wasn't able to update for so long due to my...erm...banning. ::blush:: Yes, I've been a "bad" girl, rotfl. Welp...hopefully you like this chapter...I'm not so sure if I do or not...it's interesting, lol.  
  
FLASHBACKS ARE IN ITALICS (this flashback is before Julia died, so don't be confused...and no, she's NOT in it =-P)  
  
_"I **know** that you know where Valentine is hiding! You're his best and closest employee!"  
  
Spike didn't reply, perspiration beading profusely upon his naked body in tiny droplets as a mechanical claw continued to hold his right eye open, a small needle hovering above it with the full intention of slamming down if the circumstances called for it.  
  
Absolutely outraged that his captive was not responding, the silvery-haired man continued coldly, "If you don't answer me, Spike, these fine surgeons, here, will be **more** than happy to take your eye out and replace it with a new, just as efficient one. **Would you like that**?"  
  
Spike was about to shake his head, but instantly thought better of it due to the device attached to his eyelids, his voice hoarse and pained as he choked in acknowledgement, "I swear that I know nothing, Vicious....in fact, Valentine might already **be** dead! Julia told me that he came in to work Tuesday, and that was the last that she saw of him."  
  
"Who **cares** what Julia saw?!," Vicious growled, thus causing his captive to cringe due to the deep bite within his subzero vocals. "What did **you**, yourself, see, Spike? Was Tuesday the last day that you saw him?"  
  
"Uh....no. I last saw him yesterday evening."  
  
"And?," Vicious pressed. "What else?"  
  
Spike frowned. "There **is** nothing else. If you were expecting a long, frivilous speech, please allow me to apologize in advance since I have nothing more to report. Now, if you'll be so kind, unstrap me from this cold metal table and get me the hell out of here!"  
  
Vicious glared daggers at his adversary, then made a cryptic motion towards one of the surgeons, the man smirking to himself as he immediately flicked back a nearby switch upon the wall and waited for the horrendous outcome.  
  
Hurriedly jerking downward, the needle above Spike's eye plunged deep within the moist orb with a sickening 'squish', the young man howling at the top of his lungs as his chest thrusted outward in utter agony due to feeling the incredible pain of his own blood leaking out of his iris like a fountain of quietus and destruction.  
  
"Well, now, isn't **this** interesting?," Vicious commented smugly to himself, completely unable to keep a bloody-thirsty smirk from forming along his thin lips as he looked the young man before him over with obvious amusement. "The man who was blind to all of his decisions finally has the impediment to prove it. **How ironic**."  
  
Spike merely gave a pained grunt in response, his eye pulsating as he clenched and unclenched his fists tautly amidst his shackles and prayed to God that Julia wouldn't be targeted by this inhumane torture, as well.  
  
Biting his lower lip as the surgeons prepared to remove his eye in order to replace it with the mechanical one, he then realized that he would never see life through the same light again. To him, he was now officially dead.  
  
_"Cigarette?"  
  
Spike blinked. He had been dreaming.  
  
"Hey," his friend tried again, waving a hand in front of his face, "do you want a cigarette, or _not?"  
  
_Spike nodded slowly, then swiped the precious cancer stick from his comrade's outstretched hand with a deep desperation, replying gratefully, "Thanks, Shin...I owe ya one."  
  
"Owe me? For _what?,"_ the young brunette demanded, quite baffled. "Oooh, wait a minute, _I_ see. You're thanking me for suggesting to the boss that they should send you to protect Miss Valentine. Is _that_ it?"  
  
Spike choked. _"What?! NO!_ Where in the hell do you get a crock-full-of-shit idea like _THAT?!"  
  
_Shin shrugged, returning slyly, "I dunno....guess I just figured thatcha had the hots for her. She _is_ pretty cute, after all."  
  
"Oh, _please,"_ Spike groaned, casting his eyes heavenward. "You're _such_ a child, Shin! There's _so_ much more to women than tits and curves!"  
  
"Oooh, so you _have_ been looking at-"  
  
"SHIN!!!"  
  
"Sorry," he apologized, completely unable to supress the smirk that was tugging dangerously at the corners of his lips.  
  
Suddenly meeting with his comrade's mirthful gaze, Spike announced softly, "Faye will be dead soon, anyway, Shin, so what's the point of developing a crush on a woman with a death warrant hovering over her head?"  
  
Shin blanched. _"Dead?!_ B-but _how?!_ I thought that you were supposed to protect her!"  
  
"It's a personal matter....you wouldn't understand," Spike insisted, lethargically bringing his cigarette forth from his thin lips before flipping it over onto the pavement with a careless toss. "I only warned you so that you wouldn't go crushing on that wench and then get your heart broken when word gets out about her soon-to-be-death. Do me a favor and keep this all under wraps, will ya?"  
  
Shin blinked, clearly thinking that this whole ordeal was simply preposterous. One look into his comrade's haunting two-toned irises, however, changed everything within the bowels of his cluttered mind in a heartbeat.  
  
"Y-yes, sir," he stammered, bowing as if the man before him were his mentor. "As long as you can promise me that her death will be painless-"  
  
"I promise _nothing,"_ Spike growled, turning his back on his comrade with a simple spin of his heel. "What I _do_ promise, however, is that I obey my orders. You should do the same."  
  
Shin frowned deeply. "I-I'm afraid that I don't understand. What are you getting at?"  
  
Spike allowed a faint smirk to cross his lips, his voice filled to the brim with apparent amusement as he returned softly, "I didn't expect you to understand, but you will, in time."  
  
_"What?"  
  
_"You will," Spike assured him once again, his shoulders now hunched forward as he slowly began to walk away, _"you will."_

__  
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"Snake eyes."  
  
"Dammit! I lost, _again!,"_ Lindsay wailed, tugging at her fiery tresses as she disdainfully watched Faye remove her winnings from the small table between them and place them a top her lap, her voice urgent and gradually rising in decibels as she continued shrilly, "Let's just stop this, _alright?_ You've already won all of my friggin' prized possessions, so all I've got left are the very clothes on my back!"  
  
Faye smirked. "Alright, _fine..._.can't have any fun around here, anymore. Especially now that Spike's constantly breathing down my neck like a mad bulldog. He's apprently supposed to be protecting me from these alleged crooks, yet I feel as if I have to protect myself from _him!_ I mean, have you ever _seen_ the man after he comes out of the shower? Bitchy as a wet hen!"  
  
Lindsay giggled, returning slyly, "Lucky _you!_ How's he look in just a towel, anyway? Nicely-carved physique? Sexy wet hair?"  
  
"He looks like a drowned rat," Faye insisted, making a face. "He's just like 'Fuzzy Wuzzy', but with hair."  
  
"Why, thank you, Miss Valentine. You're always just _so_ kind to me."  
  
Both women gasped, immediately turning away from the card table, only to lay their stunned gazes upon the smug-faced bodyguard, himself.  
  
"Spike!," Faye choked, pressing a tremulating hand to her chest in utter astonishment. "Didn't anyone ever teach you to _knock?!"  
  
_"Only when I'm within the presence of a woman," he quipped shortly, bestowing her with a lop-sided smirk.  
  
Absolutely infuriated by this degrading remark, Faye dug her nails into the soft flesh of her palms, her voice hushed and filled to the brim with sheer enmity as she returned dryly, "It's always a pleasure to engage in conversation with you, Mr. Spiegel. I'm a _real_ lucky girl to have a man like _you_ on my side."  
  
He grinned broadly. "Yes, yes, I know. Although it's _very_ kind of you to say something so true, there is absolutely no need to remind me of such a fact."  
  
Faye opened her mouth to speak, only to immediately close it, her deep jade irises flashing dangerously as she suddenly turned to Lindsay and requested coolly, "Do you think think that you could possibly leave us alone? I believe that Mr. Spiegel is now in store for a little lesson on manners."  
  
"Sure," she agreed good-naturedly, slowly rising to her feet, "I was just leaving, anyway. Goodnight, Faye.....Mr. Spiegel."  
  
"Goodnight," they both returned politely, only pausing to glare at one another as Lindsay sauntered out of the room and into the hallway in order to show herself out.  
  
As soon as the young woman's delicate foot falls had finally ceased, Spike turned back towards Faye and smirked, questioning coyly, "So what, may I ask, is my punishment, Miss Valentine? A nice little _spanking,_ perhaps?"  
  
"Hmph....in your _dreams,"_ she returned dryly, turning her nose up into the air before flopping back down onto the sofa with a graceful bounce. "If you'd like, however, you can sit down with me for a while. I'm honestly not mad at you, anymore....I just felt like picking a fight, I suppose. _Cigarette?"  
  
_Spike raised an eyebrow at her off-the-wall elucidation, then smiled, agreeing good-naturedly, "Sure...I could never turn down the offer of a woman, after all."  
  
"So now I'm a woman, am I?," Faye questioned slyly, a roguish glimmer reflecting off of her eyes as her bodyguard sat down beside her with an unceremonious flop. "As I recall, Mr. Spiegel, you said earlier that you'd only knock if you were about to be within the presence of a woman, so why the sudden change?"  
  
Spike smirked. "Don't flatter yourself, Miss Valentine. I'm just being nice."  
  
"Hmph. _Is_ there such a side to you, Mr. Spiegel?"  
  
Spike grinned, then placed his hands behind his head, returning smugly, "Can't we just forget about all of this and get wasted, Miss. Valentine? You promised me a cigarette, so you might as well bring on the booze, as well."  
  
Faye snorted. "Please....just call me by my first name. I absolutely _hate_ it when you address me as 'Miss Valentine' because it makes me sound like some stuffy old bag."  
  
"Well who's to say that that's not true?"  
  
Faye glared daggers at Spike's smug countenance, then quickly retrieved two cigarettes from within the recesses of her breast pocket before chucking one of them over at his head in utter contempt.  
  
"Thanks," he acknowledged, placidly bringing the slender cylinder up to his lips before patting his pockets for his precious Zippo. Finally coming out of the search empty-handed, he meekly turned towards his employer, then questioned hopefully, "Got a light? I seem to have lost mine."  
  
_Flick.  
  
_He grinned down at the spark that Faye now bestowed, his cancer stick bouncing precariously between his lips as he lowered it amidst the small flame and exhaled the sweet nicotine in utter contentment. _"Thanks."  
  
_"Don't mention it....it's rather nice to have some company of the masculine sort once in a while," Faye returned softly, absolutely refusing to meet with his imploring gaze as she rose up from the beige-colored sofa and strode across the room in order to invade the liquor cabinet, her own cigarette propped between her lips at a rather peculiar angle as she reached for a couple of glasses and turned back to face him in expectance. "What would you like to drink? I've got just about anything that you can think of."  
  
"Even a good 'ol vermouth?," Spike asked hopefully.  
  
Faye smiled. "Of course.....what kind of snob do you take me for? I'm not all about the most expensive drinks, ya know."  
  
Spike returned her smile as he leaned back against the cushions, returning good-naturedly, "A one-of-a-kind snob, of course. There's no one else quite like you."  
  
Faye suddenly gasped at this, the two shot glasses that she had fetched slipping between her long, slender fingers and to the hardwood floor before shattering into a million diamond-like pieces. "W-what did you say?," she demanded, taking a slight step backward.  
  
Spike blanched. "Faye, what the hell is _wrong_ with you? Was it something I said?"  
  
_"No,"_ she insisted forcefully, immediately turning away from him and holding herself like a frightened child.  
  
"Faye..."  
_   
"NO!,"_ she reiterated shrilly, tiny, prismatic tears forming along her ebony lashes as she choked on a sob and bowed her head in utter despair. "I....Chris....he-"  
  
_"Chris?,"_ Spike interrupted, eyeing her with a keen interest. "Who's he? Some past boyfriend of yours?"  
  
Faye paused, then nodded bitterly. "Yeah....that's right. I-I'm really sorry for freaking out on you like that, but the moment that you called me a one-of-a-kind snob, I was immediately reminded of my first meeting with Chris since he called me that. I know that that honestly doesn't sound very flattering, but it was love at first sight, as terribly cliche' as that sounds. We dated steadily for about two years, until...."  
  
She trailed off. "I-I'm sorry....I honestly don't think that I can continue."  
  
"No one's forcing you," Spike assured her, the very look in his eyes sending chills up her spine as she subconsciously took yet another step backward. "I know how much it hurts to speak of a loved one.....especially when they're no longer accounted for in this universe."  
  
"You mean when they're dead," Faye supplied in a hushed whisper, a single tear trailing down her cheek.  
  
Spike nodded grimly. "Yeah....that's right."  
  
Faye suddenly turned to face him, her normally tenacious facade now completely diminished as she questioned daringly, "Does that mean that you've lost somebody, too?"  
  
Spike immediately looked away. "Yeah.....the woman that I was going to marry."  
  
"Oh! I am _so_ sorry for-"  
  
"She was one in a million," he continued softly, truly not even seeming to notice Faye's slight intrusion. "She was the part of me that I had left behind somewhere along the way....the part that had actually made me _alive."  
  
_Faye couldn't help but gasp at this statement, her startling jade irises widening in utter astonishment as she watched the man whom she secretly admired for his never-ending sense of apathy place his head within his hands and release a sound that very much resembled that of a wounded animal.  
  
There was so much hurt within this man; such _despair._ It pained her deeply to witness such a strong individual completely broken over a single woman.  
  
"Spike," Faye began softly, gingerly reaching out and touching his shoulder, "I think that I should be honest with you since you have so graciously done so with me. You see, I-I must admit that I've been lying about Chris, and I've decided that I'd like for you to know what really transpired between us."  
  
Spike paused, slowly lifting his face up from his hands in order to meet with his employer's pained gaze, her bottom lip trembling as she immediately stood up and turned away from him before continuing softly, "We really _did_ love each other....that much is true. Or at least I thought we did. To be perfectly honest, I don't even know _how_ Chris felt about me. Looking back on our awkward relationship, it was more like he was a dog and I a bitch in heat, so, naturally, we were attacted to one another like the horny teenagers that we were. I was about 18 when he asked me to move in with him, so, shortly after making a contract with a well-known record label, I greedily and foolishly, might I add, accepted his offer. That, I believe, is when things officially started to grow out of hand. He beat me, called me his bitch, made me perform several unbearable sexual rituals upon his body each night, locked me up in his bathroom, and rarely gave me meals. He told me that the come from his dick was enough to keep me full, and-and if I was ever hungry, that's what I'd get. In the long run, Lindsay found out and reported Chris to the authorities. A trial was held, and he was arrested shortly after before committing suicide a year later. All I have left of him are some scars on my back, and-_oh, **God**,_ why am I even telling you all of this?! As if you even _give _a damn! I bet you're giggling with glee on the inside right now....you _are,_ aren't you?!"  
  
Spike immediately shook his head in utter denial, seizing Faye roughly by the forearms and pulling her towards him before insisting firmly, "I _never_ take pleasure in another being's pain. I, too, have suffered time and time again, thus making me truly sorry to hear that you've suffered just as much, if not more than myself, and I hope that you'll always confide in me when needed. That, I feel, is apart of my job description.....to _listen."  
  
_"Thanks....but no, thanks," Faye returned rather crisply, roughly yanking herself out of his taut grasp before moving away from him in what appeared to be fear. "Um, if you'll excuse me, I'd very much like to go to bed. Goodnight, Mr. Spiegel."  
  
Spike sighed deeply. "Goodnight....Faye Valentine."

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She was absolutely beautiful, the moonlight only seeming to enhance her angelic features as the stars amidst the heavens shone brilliantly as if proclaiming the young woman's very existance.  
  
The knife within the anxious bodyguard's hand began to tremulate like a leaf caught within an updraft, Spike wetting his lips as he took yet another step forward in order to carry out his dreaded task.  
  
_"Come on, you can do this,"_ he assured himself as he brought the knife up in front of him and kept his gaze locked firmly on his target. _"You **have** to....for Julia's sake."  
  
"But Faye has done nothing to deserve this,"_ a small voice from within the bowels of Spike's cluttered mind suddenly shot back, thus causing him to gasp on impulse.  
  
Shaking his head as if to rid himself of the sudden thought, he argued aloud, "That's _ridiculous!_ Faye's been nothing but a stubborn bitch that's in desperate need of a nice kick in the ass!"  
  
_"That's not true and you damn well know it! Faye's been through nothing but heartache, but **you** can change that!"  
  
_Spike blanched. "What the hell are you talking about?!"  
  
_"What do you **think** I'm talking about? Save her.....protect her from Vicious. You're a bodyguard, aren't you? Start living up to your title!"  
  
_"But I-"  
  
_"JUST DO IT!"  
  
_Spike opened his mouth to reply, only to immediately close it, shaking his head as he cast the deadly weapon off to the side with a subtle clatter, conceding aloud, "That's it....I've officially lost _all_ speaking priviledges. I must be going _insane!_ Nonetheless, I guess that I _should_ listen to that crazy voice."  
  
Bending slightly downward, Spike captured Faye within his strong embrace and brought her sleeping form up within the security of his arms, his voice filled with utmost veracity as he promised softly into her ear, "Don't you worry, Miss Valentine, I _will_ keep you alive, and that's a promise."  
  
**A/N: **Yeah, I know that was weird, rotfl, but it seemed right whenever I wrote it, lol, & no, Spike is NOT crazy! Faye acted so coldly towards him because she truly becomes afraid and closed off whenever people start to show signs that they care due to her past relationship, so yeah, that's it, lol. Welp...PLEASE review! I haven't been blessed with reviews in SUCH a long time! =( Luv ya bunches!  
3 Kendra Luehr =-= 


	5. The Tigerstriped Cat

**A/N:** Hey, guys! WOW, it has been SUCH a LOOONG time since I've updated this, huh? eheh...I apologize! I REALLY do! LoL I dedicate this chapter to my best friend, who just moved. ::sniffles:: I wuv you, Tracey-person! LoL Check out her POTC fic under Misty Addams! She SO deserves more reviews than she has! Anywhos, please R&R, and of course...ENJOY!!!

**CH 5**

Faye stirred lightly in her sleep, her long, ebony lashes fluttering gently open before she found herself gazing into a pair of warm, mismatched eyes.

On impulse, she let out a horrified scream, her wild hands immediately going into action as she took swing after swing at her alleged assailant's face, all the while pleading desperately at the top of her lungs, "Please! Just take what you want! There's money in the fridge....._just take it and leave!!!"_

Spike blinked, absolutely incredulous. "You keep money in the _fridge?"_

"I...", she trailed off.

Frowning deeply once she realized that she had been completely delusional, Faye returned sourly under her breath, "No one ever thinks to look in the refrigerator...it's one of my better plans, if I do say so, myself."

_"Right,"_ Spike muttered, plopping rather irritably down into the soft, cushioned chair next to her bed. "I don't mean to alarm you, or anything, but we're not even in your house, anymore, in case you haven't already noticed."

_"WHAT?!"_

Spike sighed deeply. "I take it that you're not entirely thrilled that I went out on a limb to save your ass, huh?"

"The hell you did! You _kidnapped_ me!," Faye wailed, tugging violently at her silky violet stresses as she choked on a howl that very much resembled that of a deranged animal. "How did you get past the security, anyway?! Ugh, I am _so_ cutting their salary this month!"

"Is that all you care about? The _money?!,"_ Spike demanded, a dark sheen rapidly spreading like fire over his mellow, two-toned irises. "I saved you from your own destruction, yet all you can think about is _money?!_ Jesus, Faye...now that I didn't kill you, as planned, Vicious is going to hunt me down like a dog!"

Faye gasped. "V-_Vicious?_ You...you mean...?"

"Yeah," Spike acknowledged dryly, "I only took this job so that I could kill you in return for Vicious' peace of mind. He's my best friend, Faye....or at least I thought he was."

"Then why didn't you kill me?," Faye demanded, sending him a lingering glance full of utmost curiosity. "What made you change your mind?"

Spike shrugged, the apathetic expression upon his face never wavering as he leaned forward in his seat and frowned deeply. "I dunno....I guess I just felt guilty after hearing about your sucky life, and all. I can relate, you know."

_"Yeah,"_ Faye agreed softly, _"I know."_

Spike looked at her, then, and took note of her hunched over form, sighing miserably as he questioned rather begrudgingly, "So I suppose that you wanna know where we are?"

"Well if it isn't too much _trouble,"_ Faye returned sarcastically, rolling her eyes at his ridiculous question as she slid smoothly out of bed and padded across the room and to the vanity by the window. As she began rummaging throughout the drawers with the hopes of miraculously finding a pair of earrings to wear, she looked over her shoulder at the anxious bodyguard, asking hopefully, "Are we someplace warm, perhaps? Like Ganymede?"

"No...Ganymede would've been far too obvious. We're on Earth in Bermuda," Spike revealed, cringing at the shrill shriek that immediately followed.

_"Earth?!_ What the hell kind of place is _that_ for a singer?!!," Faye demanded, her jade irises ablaze as she turned away from the vanity within an instant of sheer outrage. "I mean, do I _look_ like Earth material, Spiegel?! To stay here on this meteor-ridden rock is freaking _suicide!!!"_

Spike drooped. _"Glad you like it."_

"Oh! You _infuriating_ little-"

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

"Come _iiiin!," _Faye half-cooed, half-seethed, her eyebrow twitching slightly as a handsome, distinguished young man entered the room and bowed.

"Good afternoon, Miss Valentine," he began smoothly, "I do hope that you and your associate are having an excellent stay here at our five star hotel. If you are, in any way, dissatisfied with your room, please notify me immediately and I will do everything in my power to make amends for you."

Faye smirked. _"Well,"_ she began, a twinkle in her eye, "I really _could_ use a new bodyguard. Got any of _those_ in stock?"

The manager was quite frazzled by her request, his face paling slightly as he spluttered anxiously in response, "I-I _do_ apologize, madam, b-but we don't have any...erm..._bodyguards_ in supply. You _will_ forgive me, yes?"

"Oh, of _course!,"_ Faye acknowledged. fluttering her lashes in a coquettish manner, "but _only_ if you promise that Mr. Spiegel and I receive _no_ visitors and that we'll be alone at _all_ times. You see, I was just kidding about the whole new bodyguard thing...Mr. Spiegel, here, just proposed to me before you came in, and I said yes. You _will_ keep quiet, won't you?"

The manager nodded furiously. "Oh, y-_yes,_ ma'am! No one will _ever_ know!"

"Thank you, kind sir," Faye cooed, even further putting on a show as she seductively slid her hand down along Spike's backside and gave his firm bottom a quick pinch for emphasis. "Do you think that you could possibly leave us, now? We'd very much like to be...._alone."_

"Oh, _yes,_ ma'am!," the manager exclaimed, bowing as if he were standing before royalty before he hurriedly turned and made his dramatic exit.

Smirking at this, Faye slowly withdrew her hand from Spike's bottom, his face a brilliant shade of scarlet as he suddenly turned on her, bellowing at the top of his lungs, _"What the hell is your PROBLEM?! _Was it _absolutely_ necessary to say that I was your _fianc'?!!"_

Faye shrugged. "I had to get that oaf out of here _some_how, didn't I? The best thing that came to mind was to suggest that I was in the mood, but don't worry....I'm not the _slightest_ bit attracted to you. I am sorry, however, if I gave you the wrong impression. _Is your ego bruised?"_

Spike snorted. Promptly turning his back to her, he immediately stuffed his hands into his pants' pockets to prevent from slugging her a good one, muttering sourly under his breath, "C'mon, I'll take you into town....Hamilton's always nice this time in the evening. I've got a scooter parked down by the front gate, so I'll meet you down there after you get dressed."

Faye blanched. "A _scooter?!_ How can I get on one of those with a _sundress_ on? Won't it get caught in the wheels?!"

"At least you're not worried about looking undignified, for once," Spike remarked dryly, rolling his eyes as he headed on over towards the front door.

"Oh! That's right! Do you think I should change into something-"

"C'mon, hurry up," he immediately interjected, taking her gruffly by the arm and shoving her towards her dresser, "there's only so much that I can take till my sanity snaps."

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Hamilton was absolutely beautiful. The dimly lit streets were full of life due to the hustling and bustling of the natives setting up stands and performing live music for their on-lookers, the ground almost seeming to gyrate thanks entirely to the large bass drums that accompanied the quartet of pleasant-faced singers upon the large platform within the center of the town.

Faye, meanwhile, was taking all of this in with a huge smile upon her face, her jade eyes shimmering with pure excitement once she realized that the festivities were very much like that of Mardigras, except without the sleaze.

Scooting slightly closer to her bodyguard, she continued to daintily lick at the sides of her dripping vanilla ice cream cone, which Spike had scolded her about earlier for being boring.

Faye couldn't help that she didn't prefer sprinkles or any of the other fancy toppings so she had merely regarded this statement with a snort, then a shrug of the shoulders.

Who was he to tell her what to eat, anyway? She was _the_ Faye Valentine, after all; winner of dozens of awards and nominations, _and, _to top all that off, she was the pop princess of Mars.

"You're dripping, again."

Faye was immediately startled out of her train of thought and back to reality, her eyes narrowing slightly as she attended to the sloppy remains of her ice cream cone and made sure that she purposely sped up so that it would look as if they weren't together.

Instantly realizing this, Spike smiled a devilish smile, then quickly caught up with her due to his abnormally long, skinny legs, urging teasefully, "Slow down, Princess...you don't want to get blisters on those precious little feet of yours, now do you?"

"If you don't give me my space, one of my _'precious little feet'_ will be lodged up your ass!," Faye snarled venomously in response, her curvaceous hips swishing from side to side as she sped up once more with the full hopes of escaping him. Noticing that Spike was _still_ by her side after two minutes of this, however, she let out a shrill shriek, then relented wearily between clenched teeth, "Alright, _alright!_ If I let you walk with me, will you grow up?!"

Spike smirked in triumph. "Why, of course, Miss Valentine...I live to die for you. However, that's only because of the handsome check that I receive every month. If it weren't for that, you'd honestly be screwed, right about now."

Faye frowned deeply at his statement, then just decided to ignore it, altogether, announcing softly, "If you don't mind, I'd very much like to go to Astwood Cove, right about now. Do you think you could take me there?"

Spike smiled. "Astwood Cove it is, malady."

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The clear, aquamarine waves of Astwood Cove rolled along through the sea, then died at the foamy water's edge with a gentle sigh, Faye's eyes lighting up as she hurriedly left Spike's side in order to scale the towering rock that was practically submerged in water by the time she got there.

Rolling his eyes at her childishness, Spike called for her to come back, but she shook her head in utter defiance, insisting jovially, _"Never,_ Spike Spiegel! All through my pampered life I haven't even been taken to a freaking beach, so surely you won't take this moment away from me!"

Spike groaned at her obstinance, then dropped down into the soft white sand with a grunt, no longer even bothering to open his eyes due to the comforting song drifting over to him from the sea.

"Spike?"

_"Hn?"_

"Can you tell me a story?"

Spike immediately opened his eyes upon hearing such a ridiculous request, only to immediately find Faye standing over him with an intrigued expression etched out across her dainty facial features like a gorgeous pen and ink drawing.

"You want me to tell you a story?," he demanded, absolutely incredulous.

Faye nodded.

"Well what kind?"

"Any kind," she acknowledged, gently easing herself down into the sand by his side. "As a child, I never had anyone tell me a story, so I'd very much like to hear one now, if you don't mind."

"Alright," Spike agreed distantly, "I'll try my best."

Faye let out a delighted squeal, which was terribly unusual for her, then cheerily situated herself ever closer to him than before and nodded for him to continue.

Once Spike got this verification he sighed, then rolled his shoulders forward in submission, beginning softly, "There once was a tiger-striped cat. This cat died a million deaths, revived and lived a million lives, and was owned by various people whom he didn't really care for; the cat wasn't afraid to die. Then one day, the cat became a stray cat, which meant he was free. He met a white female cat, and the two of them spent their days together happily. Well, years passed and the white cat grew terribly weak and died of old age. The tiger-striped cat cried a million times, and then he died, too, except this time, he didn't come back to life."

"Wow....so that's it?," Faye asked breathlessly, staring at her bodyguard in utter astonishment. "The poor cats just....._die?"_

Spike smiled sadly, then shook his head. "No, Faye, I'm not quite finished, yet. You see, the tiger-striped cat _thought_ he was dead, but, in reality, it was just his soul that had deserted him. One day, he came across a black female cat. At first she was mean, cranky, and a bit of a spaz, but after they spent some time together, the tiger-striped cat realized that she really wasn't half-bad."

"And then what happened?," Faye demanded, sounding very much like an overly-excited child before bedtime. "Did the cats fall in love and live happily ever after?"

Spike smirked. "Well, Miss Valentine, let's just say that the ending to this story has yet to be decided."

"Really?," Faye demanded, cocking her head at a slight angle. "When you think up a good enough ending, will you be sure to tell it to me?"

Spike smiled warmly. _"Of course."_

_00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000_

_"Shin."_

"Yes, Vicious-sama?"

_"Come here."_

The young man immediately obeyed, his tasseled cloak swishing elegantly about his tall, lanky form as he approached his mentor and bowed.

"What is it that you need, sir?," he questioned meekly, not quite able to mask the immense fear within the tremors of his voice.

Vicious smirked at this sudden revelation, then nodded for him to rise, acknowledging coldly, "I have summoned you here today because one of our men is missing."

"Who, sir?"

_"Spike Spiegel."_

Shin stiffened on impulse, which his mentor took quick note of.

"What does this mean, sir?," he demanded, trying his damndest to sound nonchalant. "What do you want me to do about this?"

Vicious grinned sadistically. _"You're going to kill him for me."_

**A/N:** Okie doke, here's the deal....the next chapter will have a lemon in it, and, depending on the content, I may have to post that chapter on , only, since I don't wanna take the risk of being banned, again, eheh. ::blush:: But the next chapter's fun, cuz Lindsay hits on Shin, heehee! :P lol Welp, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review!!!


	6. Seduction is Necessary

**A/N:** Hey! This chapter has a lemon, so you've been forewarned! Please R&R, and of course...ENJOY!!!

**CH 6**

Lindsay hummed a sweet, lulling tune as she continued to straighten out Faye's mansion, just as requested, all the while completely unable to keep her thoughts from straying off to that of her best friend and her bodyguard.

What were they doing right now? Having some hot, steamy fling along the coast of one of the many Bermudian beaches?

Lindsay's romantic side most certainly hoped so. She couldn't help the fact that she had always enjoyed playing the role of the ever-wise matchmaker, even if it usually _did_ place her in a rather compromising position with her friends.

Carefully adjusting a crooked picture frame upon the wall beside the front staircase, Lindsay practically jumped straight out of her skin the moment that there came a sudden knock at the door, thus startling her rudely back to reality.

"Oh!", she exclaimed, hurriedly rushing on over to the door in order to receive the caller.

"I'm coming!," she exclaimed, "Please don't go anywhere!"

"Now _why_ on earth would I do that?," the handsome, dark-haired young man returned pleasantly as soon as Lindsay had opened the door and come face-to-face with him. "I'm here on account of Miss Valentine and Mr. Spiegel....are they home right now?"

"Uhh..."

"Oh! _I'm_ sorry!," the man hurriedly apologized, laughing at his own forgetfulness, "I'm Shin Oniwara....Spike's partner."

Lindsay smirked. This guy was pretty cute, so she decided that she would live it up just a tad.

Leaning seductively against the doorway like an overly-coquettish siren, she acknowledged slyly, "Why, _hello,_ Shin. I'm Lindsay Haskins....Faye's best friend. I'm currently straightening up her place since she and Mr. Spiegel will be gone for a few weeks or so, but you're _more_ than welcome to come inside, if you wish."

Shin paled. "Oh....well any idea when they'll get back?"

"It depends."

"Why?"

"It's a secret."

"_Why?"_

"_Because!"_

Shin grunted, then ran his fingers throughout his short, dark hair in utter exasperation, sourly trying again under the confinements of his breath, "Now, _look,_ Miss Haskins, it is terribly imperative that I know Spike's whereabouts, so _please_ tell me!"

She frowned deeply. "Why should I? You've given me no specific reason to trust you, at all."

Making a noise that very much resembled that of a deranged howl, Shin impatiently pulled out his bodyguard ID and gave it to the stubborn redhead as proof.

Giving the small card a once-over, Lindsay jovially made note that the young man was completely single, her soft, ruby red lips curling upward into a pleased smirk as she decided aloud, "Alright, Mr. Oniwara, I _will_ tell you where Spike and Faye are if, and _only_ if you promise to do one thing."

"Anything," Shin agreed, truly believing that he was now officially in this way over his head.

Smirking in triumph at this announcement, Lindsay acknowledged pleasantly, "I'll tell you their whereabouts if you go on a date with me to the Blue Cod! I've _always_ wanted to go there ever since Faye went with that hot partner of yours, so whaddaya say? Are all systems go?"

Shin drooped. "I guess I have no choice."

"Well _great!_ Pick me up at eight! Oooh....that _rhymed!,"_ Lindsay cooed, giving him a coy wink before shutting the door behind her and humming audibly as she cheerfully strode into the living room and out of earshot.

Shin groaned at this, then bowed his head forward in utter disgust, urging his memory banks to remind him to murder Spike whenever he found him, again.

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"Faye...if I ask you what I have in mind, will you promise not to hit me?"

Faye quirked a delicate brow as she lifted her sunglasses up to rest on top of her lovely hair, her tone surprisingly soft and gentle as she questioned rather suspiciously, "Well what is it that you want to know, Spike?"

The mossy-haired man smirked as he eyed her barely-there black and white bikini upon her small, slender frame, then returned teasingly, "How the hell do you keep from popping out of that thing? Your boobs are defying gravity, for Christ's sake!"

Faye frowned deeply. "Well I didn't know that you were the sort of man that enjoyed my assets, Spike. Maybe I should have reconsidered spending three weeks here with you, after all."

Spike grinned, insisting in a sickeningly smug manner, "You can't_ seriously_ tell me that you don't admire my assets, as well. Tall guys _are,_ after all, a precious commodity to women since we-"

"Last longer during....erm....loving-making. Yeah, so I've heard," Faye acknowledged, rolling her eyes. "If you even think for one minute that that makes you the _slightest_ bit attractive to me, Spike, Spiegel, _think again."_

"Faye, I don't _want_ you to be attracted to me...I was just kidding around," he insisted defensively before lying back down onto his striped towel in the sand. "If I raised your ego in any way, let me apologize to the world in advance for ensuring all hell to break loose."

"_Thanks."_

"Welcome."

Faye stifled the shrill shriek that desperately wanted to come bursting forth from her delicate vocal chords, her left eye twitching slightly as she found herself wondering what on earth had happened to the sweet, charismatic Spike Spiegel that had put his life on the line for her own and had proved himself worthy of being her bodyguard.

Why was he suddenly acting like a complete asshole?

Was it something she did? Was it something she _said?_

Perhaps she had gone too far yesterday in asking all of those personal questions?

Well, whatever it was, it was starting to _really_ get to her, and in a very big way.

Faye didn't like feeling as if someone had the upper hand over her, and now that Spike was making her feel more and more insecure with each passing day, she truly had no idea how to handle him. All she knew was that she had to escape, and _soon._

**A/N:** Hey! Welp, the next part of this chapter is strictly **NC-17**, so I had to post it on If you'd like to read it, just go to , enter it, click on anime/cartoon, then Cowboy Bebop, and mine should be right at the top. Please R&R to tell me what you thought, so far! Thanks!


	7. Broken

**A/N:**Hey! Long time no write, huh? Welp, I figured that I'd put you up to speed since it's been SOOOOO long: Spike and Faye rushed off to Bermuda to escape Vicious and his men, but not before Shin found out about them from her best friend Lindsay. He promised her a date, which he plans on taking to his advantage. Faye wanted to escape Spike and return to Mars so she, uh....had a little "fun" with him and now we're ready to go!!!

I figured I might as well actually THANK my reviewers since I never have before and since most people actually REVIEW this one!!! THANKS!!!!

**Mish-Yuna:** Thank ya! It makes me all warm 'n fuzzy inside to hear that!

**ninalee-chan:** Yay, I like Shin, too! High-five! ::does an imaginary high-five thingy:: Thanks a bunch for the support! Man, I bet you guys wouldn't believe that I'm 17...I sound like a 5-year-old, hahahaha.

**Nova:** Ooh, one of my oldest and favorite reviewers! It's no problem at all that it took you a while to get to this fic...heck, it's an honor just to get a review from you! Wow, am I a brown-noser.

**Nis-chan:** Ooh, one of my favorite authors! Thanks for reviewing! ::does a happy little dance::

**teardrops2m:** Sorry about that...I guess I should've posted the love scene up, but it was a little steamier than I'm used to writing, so I put it up on I hope you eventually got to read it! I can still send the link/original chapter to anyone that needs it!

**Sinfulpurgatory:** Thank yas!

**midnight song: **Again, I apologize about the whole web page not showing up dealie. I would've sent you the link, but for some reason you didn't give me a server, so I didn't know who to send it to! ( I can try again, if you'd like!

**dArKaNgEl A076:** Ah, one of mah buds! Hahaha, ya know, I don't think I've EVER skipped an NC-17 part! I tend to like reading the hot 'n heavy stuff, eheh. --' But no, I'm NOT a perve! :-P

**ni9htdreame12** ::grins: Oh, yay, another faithful reviewer! I think you've reviewed just about all of my stories, so thank you times a million! ::huggles::

**Linus:** Danny!!! lol Long time no see, eh? Sorry I haven't really talked to you in a while, but you know how it all goes. I miss talking to you, though, if it helps! Thanks for being there for me with your cool reviews! :)

**Jaded-Shrew:** Buddy!!!! ::tackles:: I miss you!!!! I should write more often, but I slack off, eheheh. --' How college??? I'm still thinking about where I should go, speaking of slacking off, eheh. --' I hope you update REALLY REALLY soon, cuz your fics are awesome!!! Thank yous for reviewing!!!

**Qui-ti:** Yay, another one of mah buddies!!!!! ::huggles:: You've stuck w/ me like forEVER, so how can I ever repay ya??? lol Don't tell me, hahahhahaha. Thanks, again!!!!

**Please don't be offended if you weren't listed since I just did thanks to those that reviewed the most recent chapter; for those that reviewed but were not listed, I love you forever and evers and I can't thank you enough!!!!!! :-D**

**CH 7: Broken**

Faye let out a soft sigh as she continued to gaze down upon her slumbering counterpart, his face filled with a surprising amount of innocence that only made her choice even harder to make than it already was.

His face; it was just so..._angelic._ The delicate curve of the end of his nose made him seem more of a child than a bodyguard, so she couldn't but smile while mulling over all of this fantastical nonsense.

Despite all of this, Faye had decided on leaving; Spike was merely a nuisance that kept on getting in her way of returning to her beloved fame and fortune. After all, what did the well-acclaimed pop princess of Mars need with _Spike Spiegel?_ All he ever gave her was an incredible migraine the size of Venus, and yet....last night....

_ No._

She _had_ to leave.

Gathering up a few personal belongings and stuffing them into a nearby duffel bag, Faye then proceeded over towards the door, only to be stopped short by a smooth, svelte voice that made her shiver on impulse.

"Where are you going?," it demanded warily. "You're not actually thinking of standing me up, are you, Miss Valentine?"

She froze. Turning her body so that she was now only half-way facing him, she returned dryly, "And if I _am?_ What are you going to do about it, Spike? As I recall, _I'm_ in control of _you."_

He smirked. "This is true, I'll admit, yet you _do_ owe it to me to stay here since I took a lot of woolongs out of my ass to pay for this trip."

"Is that all? _Spare_ me!," Faye scoffed, dropping her bag down to the floor within a moment of absolute incredulity. "If you're so damn worried about the money, why don't you just go ahead and ask me to pay you off, right now?!"

Spike frowned deeply, then squared his jaw, returning in a soft, defeated voice, "Because I don't want you to leave, _okay?_ You could get hurt...Vicious is still looking for you, you know."

"Hmph...like I care. Vicious is nothing but an ignorant prick that thinks he's in control of me _and_ you, but you know something, Spike? He's NOT! I'm not scared of him, so you shouldn't be, either!"

"I'm _not,"_ he growled, turning on her in an instant. "I'm just trying to do my flippin' job, for Christ's sake!"

Faye frowned deeply. "Oh, I see....so you _don't_ give a damn about me? If I'm not mistaken, it was _my_ name that you were moaning, last night."

Spike opened his mouth to reply, then immediately closed it, his eyes flashing dangerously as he took an abrupt step forward and seized her by the wrist, grinding out maliciously, "You know what? _Fine!_ Just get the fuck out of here and get yourself killed! Go on! _GO!!!"_

Completely shocked beyond all words of disbelief at his sudden outburst, Faye somehow managed to hold her head up high, then nodded, returning curtly, "Fine...I'm glad that we've _finally_ reached an agreement. Ciao, Mr. Spiegel...may we _never_ meet again."

Spike didn't even bother to respond, his eyes narrowing considerably as he watched the haughty vixen retrieve her duffel bag from off of the floor and place the strap over her right shoulder, her rotund bottom swinging from side to side like a pendulum as she proudly made her dramatic exit to show him what he'd be missing.

Her point now proven, Faye closed the door and paused, her heart bleeding tears of crimson once she realized that Spike Spiegel was no better than Chris; he didn't love her, either.

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"So how do you know Faye?"

"I _don't."_

Lindsay raised an eyebrow, then shrugged it off, taking a delicate sip of her scotch before trying again, "Surely you do, Shin...why else would you come to _her_ place looking for _her_ bodyguard?"

The young brunette shrugged, his startling green eyes seeming to pierce into her very soul as he returned sarcastically, "Well hmm, let's just stop and think about this, here....perhaps I knew her _bodyguard_ and came to her place to see _him?"_

"Oh," Lindsay murmured, suddenly quite embarrassed, "I-I suppose that I never thought of that."

Shin nodded._ "Obviously._ It's also very clear that you don't live by my number one philosophy: 'Those that speak are those that get shot, so shut your damn mouth'."

"You're right...I've never heard that one, before," Lindsay agreed, raising her other eyebrow. "Did you just make that up to piss me off?"

Shin grinned broadly. "I love a woman with brains."

Lindsay couldn't help but laugh at this, despite the mere fact that she had just been terribly insulted, her small, snow-white hand gently slipping over his own as she admitted in a soft, sultry voice barely above a whisper, "You speak what's on your mind....I _love_ that in a man."

"Me, too," Shin agreed, "but only in....um....a woman."

Again, Lindsay laughed, but this time she was interrupted by the shrill ring tone of her tiny silver cell phone, a sheepish look crossing her dainty features as she mumbled a hushed "excuse me" and lifted the small device up to her ear. _"Hello?"_

"Hey...it's me, Faye. Do ya got a minute?"

"Uuh, I'm kind of in the middle of something, right now, but sure," Lindsay agreed, sending Shin an apologetic glance out of the corner of her eye. "Are things not going well over there?"

Faye snorted. "I guess you could say that. I'm on a shuttle craft right now that's scheduled to land on Mars at any moment. You in town?"

"I am," Lindsay acknowledged, making sure to lower her voice, "is Spike there with you?"

"No...please don't ask any more questions. I expect you to be at the local airport as soon as possible so that I can get a ride home. You think you can manage?"

"Well sure, but-"

"Great. See you soon."

Lindsay blinked. "Whoa, wait a minute...Faye, _c'mon!"_

_ Click._

"Damn...she hung up on me," Lindsay muttered, pocketing her cell phone as she grudgingly rose up from the table to make her leave.

Instantly realizing this, Shin seized her by the wrist, demanding anxiously, "Where are you going? Who were you on the phone with just now?"

"It's Faye.....she just came back from Bermuda and is expecting _me,_ of all people, to come and pick her up," Lindsay explained, pushing back a lock of her fiery tresses in utter exasperation. "Look, sweetheart, I'll make it up to you, okay? We'll have dinner at my place tomorrow at eight."

Shin smirked. "Ritzy."

_ "Shut up."_

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"Your report?"

"She's back," Shin acknowledged, bowing his head slightly forward with utmost reverence for his master. "I'm dating her best friend, so it was just by chance that Faye called during our date at the Blue Cod."

Vicious grunted. "You don't need a woman, Shin....they tie you down and change everything you stand for. Believe me when I say that you're better off alone."

"Don't worry, sir...I don't care about her," Shin insisted, not quite sure as to whether he was telling the whole truth or not. "Our relationship will never go beyond just friends, and of that I am positive since I need to focus all of my energy on serving you."

Vicious frowned deeply. "No one likes a kiss-ass, Shin. Just ready my weapons and tell the men that you and I will be leaving within the hour."

He bowed. "Yes, Vicious-sama."

Watching his young pupil exit his office, Vicious couldn't help but smirk, his adrenaline rushing wildly within his veins as he envisioned the rivulets of scarlet that would soon be shed.

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"Wow, girl, that really sucks; guess you were right when you said that Spike was an asshole. I just can't believe that he'd kick you out of your hotel room, like that," Lindsay muttered as she continued to help herself to a PBJ sandwich within Faye's spotless kitchen. "I mean, _sheesh..._at least you two didn't fuck, or anything, cuz then I'd _really_ have to go AWOL on his ass."

Faye choked. _"Lindsay!_ I'm _eating!,"_ she reprimanded sharply, memories of her and Spike interlocked within the throes of passion immediately resurfacing within her mind and leaving her with a sick and guilty feeling within the pit of her stomach.

Instantly noticing this, Lindsay went wide-eyed, then shook her head, exclaiming in utter disgust, "Oh, my God, you _did_ do him, didn't you?! Jesus, Faye! At least wait for the frickin' honeymoon! Now he probably thinks that you're some easy tramp!"

"And who's to say I'm _not?!,"_ Faye demanded shrilly, hot tears streaming down along her cheeks like melted candle wax as she took her empty shot glass and slammed it down on top of the counter with a loud, reverberating _'thud'._ "I-I mean, just _look_ at me, Lindsay! All every man ever sees in me is some toy to be played with! I have _yet_ to meet a man that will look me right in the eyes and tell me that he loves me....that it's alright that I'm broken and most likely won't be able to function, again. All I want, Lindsay, is for someone to actually give a damn, and I feel as if I just let the one man that actually came close go, today."

Lindsay reached out and took her sobbing friend within the recesses of her arms, asking softly, "You mean Spike? What made him so different from all the others, if I'm not being so bold?"

Faye sniffled, then buried her face deep within her best friend's shoulder, returning sorrowfully, "He made me feel _alive,_ Lindsay. When he wasn't concerned with being an insensitive prick, he was actually the biggest sweetheart there is. So much so, in fact, that I actually worked up the courage to tell him all about Chris."

Lindsay gasped. "Oh, God, you _didn't!"_

"I _did,"_ Faye insisted, slowly pulling away from the comfort of her friend's embrace, "and when I told him......_oh,_ you should've seen his face, Lindsay. He actually looked like he _cared_...and when we were done talking, he tried to hold me, but me, being the stubborn bitch that I am, refused his comfort and left him there to sit alone in the shadows of his past. I am _such_ a fool, Lindsay.....maybe Spike really loved me, after all."

Lindsay immediately shook her head. "Don't get your hopes up, sweetie...men play these sort of games all the time. I'm guessing that shortly after this little talk of yours you two did the adult version of the hokey pokey, so it was probably just a trump card to get into your pants."

_ "No,"_ Faye denied harshly, immediately shaking her head, "you're _wrong, _Lindsay. After we made love, he discovered the scars on my back and asked if they were made by Chris, and when I told him yes, he-"

_ Knock. Knock. Knock._

Lindsay snorted. "Well who the heck visits people at _this_ time of night? It's nearly eleven 'O clock!"

"Let them in," Faye urged, filled with a sudden beam of hope. "Maybe it's Spike!"

"Oh, _please...._romance doesn't really work that way, sugar," Lindsay insisted, immediately taking the wind out of her best friend's sails. Winking, she then entered the foyer, calling cheerily, "Hang on for just a sec! I'm coming!"

Faye hurriedly followed suit, only to see Lindsay open the door up to reveal....

_ "Vicious,"_ she gasped, feeling faint, "what are you-"

_ BANG! BANG! BANG!_

Cringing, Faye prepared herself for the treacherous onslaught of bullets, only to feel....._nothing?_

_ "LINDSAY!!!!!"_

Immediately opening her eyes, she then witnessed a young man garbed completely in black kneeling down at her best friend's side, a thick puddle of oozing scarlet rapidly forming about her small, petite body.

"Oh, my God," Faye gasped, suddenly feeling even woozier than before, "oh, my _God..."_

_ "Shin,"_ Lindsay wheezed, giving the young man above her a tearful, bewildered look, "how could you do this to me?"

He choked. "I didn't know....I mean...."

"Silence, Shin," Vicious ordered coldly, his baritone icier than ever as he shot him an accusatory look. "I thought you told me that you didn't love her."

"Well no, but I-"

_ BANG! BANG! BANG!_

"Betrayers shall be prosecuted," he announced coldly within the deathly silent night air, his icy blue eyes sliding away from the his smoking gun and the two dying individuals at his feet before going over towards Faye's cowering figure in the doorway. He smirked. "Hello, Miss Valentine....it's so very nice to see you, again."

Faye, however, could not answer him, her legs suddenly giving out beneath her as she collapsed heavily upon the hardwood floor and allowed herself to be painted out within a caliginous sea of black, Spike Spiegel the very last thing on her troubled mind before she entered the frightening darkness of the unknown.

**A/N:** Are Lindsay and Shin really dead??? Is Faye about to receive an unwanted death wish??? Will Spike ever come to his senses and return??? Will I EVER stop sounding like a stupid announcer person??? Find out the next chapter AKA whenever I stop getting writer's block!!!!! :-P

Luv ya!

-Kendra Luehr


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